Sky Ranch

 

Last week I took 47 seventh graders on their class trip to Sky Ranch. This was my first time leading this trip and I was SO EXCITED to get to do this for G's class.  

While I was busy collecting last-minute medicines, answering questions, and making sure the bus was in the right spot some sweet moms were taking pics ;) PRAISE HANDS!!! ;) hahahaha

Circled up and praying before loading the bus.  LOVE these kids!

We left school around 8:30 and were at camp by 10:30. The staff at Sky Ranch is THE BEST and we met together with our counselors and went on a quick tour of camp while they unloaded our bus....

... then it was time for the kids to set up their bunks before we headed to lunch.

Teacher Pro-Tip ;) I told the kids their room assignments AS WE GOT OFF OF THE BUS. I let them fill out a Google form in the weeks before the trip letting me know the names of three people they wanted to be with and I promised them ONE of these people in either their bunk room group (6 kids) or their activity group (16 kids).  This leaves less time for complaining or stressing about it and once they're there and excited and in the moment (and can see the setup!) they don't care as much as they did in the days before.

Our counselors led the kids in their first student development session (this one was on trust)...

... ad then I split them into their three activity groups and they rotated (with their counselors) through three games/stations focusing on communication 

Blindfolded gaga ball...

... some sort of game I totally didn't understand but they all loved and then another silent communication puzzle thing I didn't get any photos of.

After that we headed to the sandlot (my FAVORITE part of camp!) where the entire class played a giant game of kickball which was SO FUN!

It's so fun for me as a mom to get to see G with all her friends in this kind of setting.  I don't think I realized how much she'd participate and what a leader she was in this kind of setting. Super proud of her!

After kickball kids had the option of doing ziplines which my sweet girl opted out of ;) hahaha Instead she hung out at Cafe Sky getting some snacks and then played some dodgeball and hung out with friends at the low ropes course.  I made the rounds to get pics of all the kids on the zip and other activities and, once again, it was so fun to see kids pair up and explore what they wanted to explore.

After ziplines we headed over to the indoor rec center for a bit...

... before heading to dinner and then getting prepped and ready for their Mission Impossible night event.

After Mission Impossible we headed back to the rec with our kids to let them play as long as possible ;)

I brought my embroidery floss supplies and, as expected, had a big group of girls making bracelets in no time!

In years past we've been split up into multiple cabins - this year we had one giant cabin with 5 girls rooms on one side and 5 boys rooms on the other. There was a big meeting room in the middl which was AWESOME during the day for our leadership sessions but also THE BEST at night when kids would shower, change and then come out here to play wall ball, UNO, chill, etc. 

I always feel like there moments are some of the most memorable for kids!

The next morning we were up and at 'em and after breakfast headed down to the lake for canoes. 

It was SO COLD but such a gorgeous day and once the kids were all jacket-ed up and in their groups I headed out to the end of the dock to grab some pics and videos.

After canoeing we headed back to the cabin to clean up a bit, throw away ALL THE SOCKS (hahahaha), and get ready for lunch.

We had more games,...

... time at Treetop Towers....

... a trust/communication lesson and exercise...

... and then free time ;) 

After dinner we leaded the kids up in wagons and headed to the arena for "a night at the livery" ;) 

There was roping, a calf scramble, "bull riding", dodgeball, and s'mores.

After the rodeo time we went back to the rec for more games...

... and then the girls were treated to a SPA NIGHT organized by one of my incredible parent chaperones.  It was SO CUTE and sweet and the girls LOVED IT!

She was also my shower schedule QUEEN which was the absolute best thing of all time.

And yes... she even put sweet little treats and notes on everyone's pillows!

That night we had more hangout time...

... before heading to bed for our last night. 

I snapped this pic while the girls were hanging out and just about DIED because THEY WERE SO MESSY! HAHAHAHAHA

The next morning was STUNNING and we enjoyed games and activities before doing some reflective activities, eating lunch and then heading home!

Being the lead on a trip like this is always a little bit nerve-wracking BUT everything went super smoothly (Sky Ranch is THE BEST!) and the kids were SO GOOD! Core memory for me getting to be there with G and her friends and the perfect way to wrap up third quarter. 

Okay - funny/sweet story before I go ;). When we first got to camp and they were unloading our luggage one of our counselors noticed that I had a Sigma Junior tag on my duffel bag (I borrowed Luke's bag) because she was a counselor for that program last summer.  I pulled out my phone to pull up a family pic to see if she recognized Luke (she did!) and she goes "wait... what's your daughter's name" and I told her it was Griffin and she SWORE that she had her in her cabin back in the summer of 2021 when she was working as a counselor for the Sky 1 program.

I immediately dove into my photo archives and LOOK!!!

HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!?!?! 

Another one of her counselors from summer of 2021 was also at camp (workign with another schoool group) and she came and saw G too!

I talk often about how the counselors at Sky Ranch are REALLY what sets the camp and programming apart for us and the fact that these girls REMEMBERED Griffin just speaks to the relationships that the build with their campers. It was the sweetest moment!

Turns out that our sweet counselors are ALSO friends with one of my former students so we had to take a selfie and send it over to her ;) LOVE moments like this!

HAPPY Tuesday, friends!!